A public utility is an entity that provides goods and services to its general public. The Federal government is the major employer of public services utilities. Before discussing what do public utilities jobs pay, let’s discuss first what public services providers do. All the people who have skills to provide power, water, gas, and telecommunication to their general public are doing public utility services. These services are being provided by large industries that employ labor force of all skill sets and qualifications.
What Do Public Utilities Jobs Pay?
Discussing pay scales is difficult for obvious reasons, be it any industry or field. Salaries in public utilities jobs also vary depending upon the designation of an employ. If we talk about the US, then more than 600,000 people are employed in public workforce and and an average of $50,000 to $80,000 annually. There are a number of people working in this industry ranging from engineers to labors getting different pays. In this article, we’ll discuss what do public utilities jobs pay to their employers.
Highest Paying Jobs In Public Utilities With Their Salaries
Following are some of the highest paying jobs in public utilities industry.
- Electrical Engineer
- Pipeline Controller
- Power System dispatcher
- Nuclear Licensing Engineer
- Water Engineer
- Solar Energy System Installer
Electrical Engineer
Electrical engineers are one of the key employers in public utilities entity. These engineers are highly qualitied and skilled in what they do. They are specialized in making and installing complex electrical circuits, grid stations and power plants so they ensure whether all the safety measures are taken and safety standards are in place. Electric Power engineers are also responsible for managing, assessing and evaluating the distribution of power.
Electric Power engineers can go to boom level in their careers. As of last year, the annual salary of an electrical engineer in the US was around $100,000.
Pipeline Controller
Pipeline Controller is also a key position in public utilities services. A pipeline controller is a specialized professional responsible for the monitoring and flow of pressure in the pipelines of public service departments. Furthermore, they make sure that maintenance is on point and there is no leakage found in any of the pipelines.
A pipeline controller normally works in an electricity power plant, oil refinery and fuel facility. They monitor and control the inflow and outflow of water, oil and sui gas in the pipelines. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average median wage of a pipeline controller is around $90,000.
Power System Dispatcher- (A key position in public utilities jobs)
A power system dispatcher is one of the key positions in public utility sector. They are responsible for distributing electricity between producers and end consumers both in residential and commercial sectors. They are also responsible for the maintenance of power system equipment. Furthermore, Power system dispatcher also ensures that there is no potential problem in the operations. They make sure that all the schedules and operations are being strictly followed.
A power system dispatcher is a highly paying job and it is recommended that if you have the required qualification and experience for it, then you should definitely avail an opportunity in it. As of last year, the annual salary of power system dispatcher is around $95,000.
Nuclear Licensing Engineer
A nuclear licensing engineer is responsible for making sure that nuclear power system meets requirements of federal safety licensing standards. Nuclear licensing engineers have high knowledge in mathematics, science and technology and have expertise in thinking and reasoning skills. They inspect equipment and document activities in accordance with regulatory requirements and monitor performance to aid in designing preventive measures.
Nuclear licensing engineer is also one of the highly paying and demanding jobs with an average annual salary of $120,000.
Water Engineer
A water engineer is a person who is in charge of the water treatment process. He is responsible to oversee the plans that provides water to a town or city from wells, lakes and rivers. He also makes sure that the supply of water is evenly distributed and not interrupted. A water engineer also do budgeting and and makes schedules for emergency cases. He also ensures that the sewage system is intact especially in monsoon season.
The average annual salary a water engineer is $50,000 in the US. hence making it a good paying job.
Solar Energy System installer
Solar energy system installers are responsible for the installation of solar panels at homes and public utility offices. They are responsible for maintenance of equipment and machinery. Becoming a solar energy system installer is not as hard as you may think. It doesn’t need high qualification but a set of technical skills.
With the increasing energy crisis, people around the globe are converting to solar energy. In the recent years, this has become a highly demanding job in the US with an average annual salary of $43,000.
Factors Affecting Salaries Of Public Utilities Jobs
- Experience: Experience counts big time when someone applies to a company for a job title. Prior experience in the same or even in another capacity improves the candidate in multiple aspects. Candidates with experience can expect good salaries as compared to the ones who are fresh in the job market.
- Education: The type of jobs mentioned above require a good level of education and skills. Hence, it is extremely important to get a higher level of education in the fields mentioned above to score a good salary.
- Location: The place where you are doing the job also matters. For instance, California and Connecticut have a de-regulated utility market so you can get better pay scale there as compared to other areas of the US.
Conclusion
A Public Utility is an entity responsible to provide utility services like electricity, water, gas and telecommunication to its people. It is a massive industry comprising of thousands of workforce. In this article we have discussed what do public utilities jobs pay to their most demanding positions.
